Paisley
by YellowWednesdays
Summary: Love is the only exception for them both. When Alice returns to Forks, what will she find? a story about love, what it is, and what it can do. OOC AH AU
1. Chapter 1

Then:

It was a sweltering summer. Mom was wearing her canary yellow polka dot dress, her lips cherry red, and hair in a perfect French twist, flashing her pearly white teeth at every guest. It was her annual end of the summer party, and all of her book club, church ministry, and God loving neighbors made there way into our spacious backyard. All the patio tables had watermelon placemats, and a tray of vegetables was sat in the middle of each table. An nine year old me sat uncomfortable in a patio chair, fiddling with the lady bugs stitched at the bottom of my dress. Rose was laughing with a group of her friends, and Dad was upstairs working as usual, he didn't mind Mom having her parties, as long as he wasn't bothered with them. At these kinds of things I was usually alone. Rose was older, and her friends didn't like me to tag along, and Mom was too busy pouring lemonade and smiling too much at her many guest. So I was not expecting her presence because all of Mom's friends looked like they had stepped out of a magazine, all with their perfect hair, and brightly colored mouths, their kids that just looked like mini versions of them. But there she was, a girl about my age, dressed in a hideous green paisley dress. She was smiling, one of her front teeth missing.

"Why are you sitting here alone?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. I shrugged

"Well, can I sit here with you?" she asked I looked up at her and nodded. So, sat with me she did. She told me all about her new puppy Chase, who she had to always clean up after, she told me about her mother who made her take vitamins, and how her dad died as chief of police, she told me about her best friend Edward and how he was the nicest boy she knew because he didn't pull her pigtails and always let her have the last banana popsicle. And at first she was the only talking, but then I started to respond with facts about my own life. About Smoky my cat and how after we fixed him he was never the same, I told her about how my mom never let me have sugar because she said it was bad for my teeth and how her veggie lasagna was gross and I always ended up spitting it in my napkin. We laughed, and talked about how we both hated hopscotch, and how we were both amazing at jump rope.

"Who's your best friend?" she asked me we established somewhere in our rambling that we would take turns asking the other questions

"I guess I don't have one" I responded after all it was true. I only ever hung out with the kids at church, and the kids at school but I wasn't really close with any of them

"Well now I'm gonna be your best friend" she said matter of factly

"I'm Isabella Marie Swan, but I go by Bella" she said sticking out her hand for me to shake

"Mary Alice Brandon, but I go by Alice" I said taking her hand and giving it an awkward shake

"Well now it's settled" she said puffing her chest out "We're best friends"

And so we were.

The day after the party, my mom met hers, and immediately took a liking to each other as Renee was interested in becoming a member of her book club. After my mom telling me I had to be back by dinner I spent the whole day with Bella. And everyday after that. We became inseparable. Well her, me, and Edward. He was every bit as nice as Bella said, a head full of copper hair, sparkling green eyes, and a light splattering of freckles on his cheeks. Edward protected us, and me and Bella shared everything. And as we got older, Edward drifted, claiming spending so much time with girls wasn't "cool". But me and Bella stayed the same. Passing notes in class, and giggling over boys when were supposed to be asleep. By eleven we weren't just best friends, we were sisters, and the same way she came to me, she was taken. That summer Mom told us we were moving. Me and Rose protested but she said she'd have no discussion about it. In two weeks we were packed, and our way. Bella did not cry on our last day, instead she linked our pinkies and told me

"Mary Alice Brandon, we are best friends, and best friends never say goodbye. Never" and as she kept a straight face my blue eyes blinked back tears. She hugged hard, and kissed my sun burned cheeks.

"I'll see you soon Ali" I nodded choking back tears before I answered

"I'll see you soon" I said hoarsely

Edward showed up right before we were about to leave, three small daisies in his hand

"I'll miss you Ali" he said simply, handing me the daisies, I cried into his shirt.

With a tight hug and a quick goodbye mom loaded me and Rose into the car. She shoved headphones in her ears and turned on her music, I cried the whole way there. Forks may have been small, and full of stuffy old women who couldn't mind their business, but it was home.

California was bright. Full of tanned bodies and muscular men. Dad immediately started his new job at the firm, and Mom wasted no time making friends, and sucking up. Rose was tall and blonde, and beautiful, she fit there. I, even with Mom's blonde hair, was stark against all the tan skin and perfect legs. For three years I went to school, came home did homework, ate, and slept. I never took to Tanning like Rose did, or even owned a pair of jean shorts. Instead in all my spare time I took up sewing. I had a closet full of my creations. Bedazzled dresses, Lace shirts, Intricate skirts, I created but I never wore any of them. Even in California, I refused to be come processed and too tan, instead I kept my pale skin and dressed in an array of jeans. When I turned 14 and got into makeup, I kept it very simple, black winged liner, mascara, and bright red lips. Sometimes I'd wear cream white shimmery eye shadow if it were a special occasion. A week after my sixteenth birthday, Mom found out grandma was dying, and so we packed our things, and went back to forks, home.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This story will include underage drinking, addiction, and other mature themes, if you're uncomfortable with these topics do not continue reading. For clarification Alice met Bella when she was 9, moved when she was 13, and came back when she was 16. Anyway, on to the story!**

Now:

Rosalie was at her vanity when I walked in, boxes surrounding her. We had been here a about a week and neither of us had really unpacked much. She was texting on her shiny new Iphone, probably Emmet. Rose had made much more of a home out of California than I, still the only thing she had that she hated to leave behind was him

"Yes" she said as a way of greeting

"Are you driving us?" I asked tapping my foot she nodded

"Yeah, lets go" she stood up. She was wearing a lilac blazer with a white scoop neck blouse, and jeans. She looked down at my outfit

"Cute" she said smiling at my lace pink shirt and ripped jeans I shrugged, this was forks after all. Following Rose out of her room and both of us grabbing yogurts we were on our way.

Driving to school was nostalgic. Green trees hiding more green trees, wet road, and the smell of rain seeping even into the car, it smelled like my days with Bella.

Bella.

I was going to see her today. We hadn't talked since that last day, Mom took the move to California as an opportunity to make sure I turned out to be a near perfect daughter. She told me Bella was wild, and unpredictable. That girls like Bella didn't marry doctors, or lawyers. They didn't go to church, or speak with their mouths closed. I resisted of course, but I believe in the end she got her way in the end. After a while I gave up attempts of contacting her at all.

I stopped isolating myself at parties, I even attempted to spend tome with some of Mom's friend's daughters. I went to teas, luncheons, and bible study. And sure I was no Rosalie, but I had gotten much better at making my Mother proud. Gone were my pipe dreams, and belief that magic was real, wings were ripped off butterflies, and stars were just gaseous balls of light, wishes were for the lazy. You wanted something to happen? Well you had to work like hell for it and even then it only worked out half the time.

"Ready?" Rose asked, I hadn't even noticed we had gotten there but there it was, Forks High School.

"As I'll ever be" I replied. As soon as I was out of the car Forks damp air hit my cheeks, I took a deep breath and held it in my lungs, slowly releasing I made my way to where they were handing out schedules

"Mary Alice Brandon" I said to Mrs. Cope who was sitting behind the counter, she looked confused for a second, but then recognition was in her eyes

"Ms Brandon! Well I remember your Mother, she made the best blueberry pie, boy were board meetings lacking when she left us. Welcome back honey!" she said warmly I gave her a small smile

"Thanks" that was how people knew me, Mrs. Brandon's daughter, Rosalie's sister.

As soon as I walked into the hallway, I recognized more than fifty percent of the people there. Small chubby faces had matured, but features were still the same. Jessica still had wild sandy colored curly hair, Tyler was still tall and Lanky, Ben still had horrible skin, Angela was still hopelessly in love with him her larges eyes getting even larger every time he spoke, but a silhouette across from them caught my attention. He was tall, at least 6'2 and a mop of penny colored hair on his head, he was wearing a gray hoodie, and black jeans.

"Edward" I breathed. The past few years had been good to him. Very good. Making her way towards him was a small girl, wearing a Red Hot Chili Peppers sweatshirt, a mass of thick long brown hair, and black lined brown eyes, Bella.

"Holy shit" I whispered to myself, seeing them together again made it all real, I was really back. Without thinking I walked over them and stopped directly in front of them, Edward saw me first. I waited patiently for the recongniton to spark in his eyes and it did

"Alice?" he said questioningly Bella whipped her head towards me, donut in her mouth

"Edward" I said sweetly Bella's eyes widened and she spit the donut out of her mouth and before I could prepare myself launched herself towards me

"Mary Alice oh my God you're really here!" Edward stared at the bitten donut on the ground then at us chuckling at her antics

"I am" I said softly

"I had heard rumors and shit but you're really here!" she said looking at my face now I smiled

"I'm really here" I said laughing Edward pulled me into his chest and squeezed

"Welcome back Brandon" he said mussing my hair I frowned up at him

Bella snatched the schedule from hands and compared it to hers

"We've got English and Trig together" she said smiling "And you've got Edward for Chem and History" I let out a sigh of relief, I was praying I had classes with them.

"Oh, and you're coming to my house after school" she stated. And as easy as that, we fell back into our rhythm.

Renee was more than ecstatic to see me. She even tried to cook for us, and it was just as bad as it used it be but the familiarity of it made me warm. We talked about school, and girls we still couldn't stand while chewing on red vines and drinking grape soda. As usual she supplied the sugar, because even at sixteen Mom kept virtually no sugar in the house

"So did you leave behind some sexy California boy?" I laughed at her assumption

"No Bells, they were all tan and bulky sure, but they also had the attention span of a squirrel" I said straight faced, she laughed sugar high and purple tongued. She was as free as I remember, and I felt something rise in chest for my mother, whatever it was that burned in my belly and up and out of my mouth, that made me just as free as she was, was gone now. We finished our sugar, and our gossip and she hugged me fiercely

"I missed you" she said softly.

"I missed you too" I said choking up. She pulled away from me

"We're gonna get them back Ali" she said brown eyes determined

"Get what back?" I said confused

"Your wings baby doll, just three years in sunny California and you've forgotten how to fly, you look more like your mother than I ever wanted to see, but don't you worry, you'll fly again" she said this was just the way she spoke, in metaphors and endearments, it was the way we both used to speak. I only nodded

"I'll see you at school" I said before making my way out of her front door. The whole way home I thought of how before I left when my mother would chastise me in front of Bella for basically being myself, Bella would bahhhh at me, like a sheep. Because she always told me I was the black sheep, she told me that was a good thing because who would ever want to be like Rose or my Mom anyway, perfect was boring. But was it really, so bad? Rose and my Mother were respected, when they walked into a room everyone stopped to stare, Mom was successful going to college for a degree in psychology, but never using it because she married a lawyer. I wasn't perfect, and I never would be, but this was reality, and in reality you don't fly, you get up and you do what needs to be done.

That night when I went to sleep, I dreamt of falling.

"So we're going to get ready for Jasper's party together" Bells said at lunch picking at her piece of pizza

"I wasn't aware I was going to a party" I said flatly "Who's Jasper?" I asked

"He's Mr and Mrs Hale's son, they moved her about 2 years ago." she said easily

"Does he go here?" I asked

"Yeah, but he's hardly ever here. He ditches all the time. Dimitri, Edwards best friend, and him go down to La Push usually

"But anyway he's having a party tonight and you're going. You can finally meet everyone" she said smiling, I wasn't sure what to think about that but I knew I wasn't getting out of it. When we got to her house Bella started to pull dresses out of her closet. I called Mom to let her know where I'd be and promised I'd be back by 11:30. She handed me a black short dress. It had a sequined sweetheart neckline, and flared out, she threw red pumps at me

"It'll match your red lipstick" she said winking, she dressed in a red short pencil skirt and wore a solid white blouse tucked in, and black ballet flats. I convinced her to wear some of my red lipstick, and she convinced me to wear my long blonde hair down. With that, we were on our way

We arrived at the party and it was already in full swing. Bodies of people in the front yard, red cups in hand. The house was huge, you could tell its owners were disgustingly rich. The door was decorated with stained glass and open. Inside was your typical party scene. Bodies gyrating to the beat of music, couples making out on couches, counters, in corners, and red cups in hand. The air smelled like alcohol and sweat, and I was starting to really regret coming here, Bella sensed my distress

"Ali, loosen up a little, I haven't turned into some party going slut, but after all we are teenagers and a party or two won't kill us." she said, hands on my shoulders, I took a deep breath

"You're right, you're right, let's find drinks" red cups in hand, and liquid courage in my system I felt my muscles uncoil and my mind start to clear. Before I knew it me and Bella were dancing and laughing, shaking our hair and our hips to the pulse of the music. Edward made his way over to us, a leggy blonde on his arm

"Tanya" Bella said stiffly. Tanya nodded at her

"This is my girlfriend Tanya" Edward screamed at me over the music I nodded and smiled

"it's nice to meet you" I yelled and she gave me a big plastic smile

"You too" she said, bitch dripping from all two words

"Come on Eddie" she said grabbing his collar and dragging him through the mass of people

"Well that was unpleasant" I said to Bella, her eyes were wide

"Eddie?' she said with disgust. It was silent between us and then we both broke down into hysterical laughter

"I'm gonna go pee" I said and Bella nodded

"Okay I'll be here" she said and trying not to bump into anyone I made it down the hallway and pushed the closest door open hoping it was a bathroom

Up against the counter, a very tall guy, about Edwards height, with shaggy dirty blonde hair that curled at the ends, stood, a girl I had never seen before either with long black hair had her arms wrapped around his neck, and they were kissing intensely, she was moaning into his mouth

"Jesus Christ, can you do that somewhere else? Some of us actually have to pee" I said dryly. The girl looked at me and smirked

"Sorry" she said giggling "I'll see you upstairs baby" she said walking out of the room, the guy looked at me, a small smirk on his lips. His eyes were sea blue and smiling.

"Sorry for the inconvenience darling" he said with an over exaggerated southern drawl

"Yeah well, its okay if you could just go now, I really have to pee" I said hurridly he chuckled low and deep

"What's your name baby doll, I would remember a face like that if you were from around here" he said his voice was silk, and dripping with charm, all traces of a southern accent gone

"My name is can you get the hell out I have to piss" I said bitingly and he chuckled low and deep

"Well my, that's some way to treat the party host" he said with mock hurt, my eyes widened

"You're Jasper" I said shortly he nodded and grinned, dimples on display

"The one and only" he replied

"Wow. You're one of those guys" I said shaking my head he raised his eyebrows

"What do you mean one of those guys?" he asked humor in his voice

"You know, one of those guys. The skeevy, charming, drug doing type that makes out with random girls in bathrooms" I said matter of factly he laughed slow and deep

"Oh now…" he trailed off looking for me to tell him my name

"Alice" I said

"Alice, hmm, well now Alice, I am not one of those guys. I am in no way 'skeevy' and some would say I'm charming sure, and she's no random girl she's my girlfriend, and after all this is my house, which includes this bathroom we are standing in"

My blood heated

"Look, I don't really give a shit, I just have to pee" I said easily he chuckled

"Well I'll tell you what Alice, if you apologize for your very rude assumption of my character, I will kindly exit and leave you to enjoy your pee." he said, that smirk still on his lips

"Sorry" I said sugary sweet smiling big and sarcastic he laughed

"You wound me baby doll" he said laughing, and closing his door on the way out

I found Bella exactly where she said she'd be, just a lot more drunk and pissed of than when I left her

"Can we leave Ali?" she said slurring lightly

I nodded, guiding her out of the door I drove us to her house and we fell asleep in smoky party clothes and smudged red lipstick. That night I dreamt of sea blue eyes and smirking pink lips.


	3. AN (good news!)

**A/N hi guys, I will be updating this thing regularly now. Moving, work, it gets crazy in real life, thank God for FF! I hope you will continue to review and thank you so much for the support! First update will be later today.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N short chappie I know but they will get longer and return to normal length, I will try to update tomorrow but if not on Saturday, thanks for the love guys~**

I woke to Bellas light snore, her limbs sprawled over mine, still in her party clothes. I let out a deep groan and looked over at my purple alarm clock 6:52 Fuck. I quickly brushed through my tangled hair and pulled on some ripped jean shorts and a white v-neck. I heard Bella stirring

I looked at her squinted eyes and watched her stretch, smiling

"Well arent you chipper" she said dryly, peeling her skirt and blouse from last night off and pulling on some of my black jeans, and her Red Hot Chili Peppers sweatshirt. She slipped on her Toms

"Well lets hit it princess" she said grabbing my keys, I followed behind her taking the keys and hopping into car, Bella grabbed her Ray Bans from her bag and slipped them on, I turned the radio on and we were on our way.

We linked arms and stopped to talk Tyler and Angela bit, then went to our lockers, Edward was kissing Tanya against his

Bella gagged, I chuckled. Tanya ran her pink maniucured nails down his chest and swayed her narrow hips as she walked away, tan legs perfect in her hot pink shorts.

"You really take that public display of affection thing way too far" Bella said as we approached him

"You're just jealous" Edward said playfully, tapping her on the nose with his fingertip, her face scrunched up

"Of what? Malibu Barbie who went to heavy on the self tanner, I don't think so" she said bitingly. Edward chuckled good naturdly and mussed her hair.

"I'll see you both at lunch." He said smiling at us both. He made his way down the hall, peering at his phone, probably a text for Tanya.

"Well theyre charming" I said dryly, Bella grimaced

"I don't know why they're together, she's basically the exact image of girls he hates" Bella said I nodded, Whenever I imagined coming back, i always saw them together, they still had this chemistry when they were together, but Bella was stubborn, and whenver you tried to get all touchy feely about her emotions she made a joke, or shut down so I wasn't going to pry. We made our way to trigonometery where everyone was asleep in their sleep within the first five minutes. The day dragged on and by lunch I was fighting the urge to just drive home and take a good nap. When I got to the table Bella was already there, apple in hand, Edward next to her on his phone.

"So, parties on a school night are satan" I said sitting down, Bella chuckled

"You didn't even drink that much Ali, I on the other hand have a bitch of a headache" she said resting her head in her hands.

"I'm sorry your head hurts darlin, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway" Jasper said appearing behind me, Bella looked up and smiled at him

"It's not your fault i'm such a lush, it was great Jas" she said looking up at him. I felt the weight of the bench shift as he sat down

"Ms. Alice" he said mock bowing, I rolled my eyes

"Jasper" I said simply, he smiled dimples on display, his blue eyes dancing with humor

"Did you enjoy the party?" He asked, I laughed

"Yeah, but the bathrooms were full of skeevy drug doing type making out on the counter, it was defintley inconvenient." I said with mock seriousness, Jasper let out a deep belly laugh, it made me smile a little

"Well I am so sorry about that Ms. Alice" he said still sweet dimple smiling, it made my stomach like headphones that tangle themselves in your pocket. He talked to Bella about some bon fire at La Push and then left our table giving me a partimg crooked grin. We finished our lunch chatting and Edward glued to his phone. The rest of the day I spent in my sleepy haze, Bella ended up driving us to my house where we plopped on the counch munching on some whole wheat baked veggie chips that were disgusting but mom was religious when it came to only having healthy food in the house. Rose came down the stairs, she was wearing her usual grimace but her eyes were a bit red around the edges. When she came into the living room I went to sit next to her, Bella was curled up sleeping

"Are you okay?" I asked her, she nodded quickly

"Yeah, Emmett and I just had a fight" she said quietly, I sighed. I didn't like Emmett, he was loud and obnoxious, and he and my mom were always laughing together, he was exactly what she wanted for us.

"About what this time?" I said she shook her head again

"Nothing, I'm fine." She said with a forced smile, I grimaced. She assured me again and made her way upstairs, I wasn't convinced but Rose was pridedul like that. Bella stayed for dinner, and then I drove her home.

"See you tomorrow Brandon" she said getting out and walking up to her porch.

I made my way home and pulled out my books, and Chemistry folder, something fell out

I looked down and it was a playing card, I turned it over, it was the 7 of hearts, in black pen and boy handwriting was written

- Ms. Alice, call me some time

912-344-7654

There was no signture, but I knew it was Jasper, I grinned at the playing card, never had someone made such a witty Alice and Wonderland reference, I thought of calling him, but it was already late. I went to sleep and dreamed of red queens and talking cats.

meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;URL=launch?reason=no_js_enabled"

Minimize

Close

0


End file.
